The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-12
EXQUISITE PUNISHMENT.
Atlanta Journal.

In the early years of this century, when log-houses were good enough for the average Georgian, certain doctor presided over Franklin college.
 The simple habits of their dignified sires did not prevent the boys of those days from having their fun-in- deed, they carried on an amount of devilment which the college boys of these times would consider respect able.
 The boys thought that anything was fair which would make one of the fac ulty the victim of joke, and on one occasion they laid a dark plot to rob the doctors poultry yard and after ward celebrate the event by a mid night banquet.
 The doctors chickens were the pride of his domestic establishment, and he had built for their accommodation a log~house. The logs were "notched down" at the corners and held in place by their own weight and the roof.
 At late hour the boys repaired to the hen-house, armed with fence- rail. It was an easy matter to insert the rail between two logs and pry up those above, so as to make an opening through which man could crawl. A dapper young fellow, who had visited the doctors daughters, went in and began to pull the chickens off the roost and wiring their necks. While he did 80 the boys outside kept their weight on the rail, and so kept the crack open for his escape. The nice young man, whom we will call Bob, had dropped about dozen chickens outside, and the whole crowd was in high glee over the prospective ban quet. Just then big old rooster crowed.
 "Look out, Bob; break that roos- ter's neck and stop his noise."
 "Sh! Whats that?"
 There was low growl.
 "Boys, you have let those logs down too low; lift them little so 1 can get out. Be quick about it."
 At that instant there was a loud bark and big dog bounded into the poultry yard. The boys on the out side for an instant stood their ground. They dropped the rail and grabbed chance weapons to beat off the dog, but before they could disable him the door of the doctors residence opened and his tall tlgnre appeared. The boys scattered, all but one.
 The logs had come together again and Bob was prisoner. He crouched in a corner and held his breath, hop ing that he would be overlooked, but the dog told where he was.
 By this time the doctor had come up and other members of the family came out, eager to see who was caught in the man-t trap.
 "Why, it's Bob."
 "Who would have thought it?" The exclamations were heard in the house and echoed by the young ladies. Then the door of the log house was opened and the young man sent to the dormi- tory. He was called before the fac ulty the next morning. The poor fell low would have sold himself for song, and expected to be peremptorily expelled and perhaps prosecuted.
 Meantime the doctor had thought the matter over. He was man of great sagacity in the management of boys, and he recognized this freak as piece of wild mischief which might not be meanne's. He resolved to give the matter such disposition as would put sober head on the young man. Accordingly, when Bob appeared, looking like criminal, the doctor lectured him severely, but in a fath- erly way, and told him that such an offence must not go without severe punishment.
 Bob expected the sentence of his ex- pulsion. With measured tones, like judge pronouncing the death sentence, the doctor said:
 "Mr. -, l will expect you to take supper with me tonight, and, as you show fondness for chicken, the fowls you took off the roost last night will be on the table,"
 Bob would rather have been ex- pelled. But for the distress it would cause his parents he would have gone home. In spite of his larks there was good stuff in Bob, and with a tre- mendous effort he resolved to face the music.
 It is impossible to describe the men, tai agony Bob went through that evening when he sat at the table where the doctor presided with courtly dig nity.
 His elegant wife could not have been more courteous to an honored guest than she was to Bob, and her daughters treated the young man as cordially as ever. Not word was said about the affair of the night be- fore, but the large dish of chickens was like mountain in the poor boys eyes. It was the refinement of tor ture when the doctor, with the utmost l suaYitY. halned him to the choicast